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Friday Hops and Follows

By Barb Drozdowich

Will I every be glad to actually reach Friday – the last day of school.  This past two weeks has been jammed packed with every thing imaginable.  We did many Christmas concerts, Christmas parties, Christmas sing-a-long days, Christmas Craft days and finally tomorrow is Milk & Cookies with Santa followed by treats and a movie.  At the end of all this I will take my sugar-filled overwrought child home.  We then have a week of mommy-daughter time to field the important question of: Is it time for Santa to come yet? She is simply dancing in anticipation of Santa’s arrival!

That said…..on to the activities!!  

First off is Jennifer at Crazy-for Books.  She has a very popular weekly blog hop.  She give us a question to answer and then we can link up and wander from blog to blog learning about other bloggers.

This week’s question is: “What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?”

I really want to say that both are equally important because a good story with weak characters makes for a bad read, and strong characters with a bad plot also makes for a bad read.  If I had to choose one, I would say that the characters are the most important in my mind.  I seem to have trouble moving beyond moronic characters to see a good story,  I will get caught up in the characters failures and lose sight of all else.  I’ve had several books lately that had characters that I absolutely abhored, but an excellent plot.  I had trouble reviewing the books as for me, the poor characters overshadowed the writing.

What do you think?

Our second Friday activity is Follow Friday sponsored by Parajunkee.  This week’s featured blog is Rabid Reads.  Drop by her blog and congratulate her on being chosen as the featured blog.  Just like above, head over to Parajunkee’s blog using the link above and link up and then find out more about your fellow bloggers.

This week’s question is:  What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different?

My answer is: I studied Molecular Biology & Genetics and then Education in university.  That led to full time work for some years in research and then teaching.  I am now a WAHM , running a small on-line bookstore from my home.  I also work in my daughter’s school part time and I blog.  What did you study in school??

Our final activity is Follow Friday 40 and over.  This weekly meme is sponsored by Java at Never Growing Old.  Java simply has us post the badge on our blog and then link up at her blog and join the follow.

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Holiday Season.  For those of you with little ones in your family, SANTA’S COMING!!!!  Have you checked out Norad Santa – a great geography lesson on Christmas eve (and keeps the little ankle bitters busy:) )

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About Barb Drozdowich

Social Media and Wordpress Consultant Barb Drozdowich has taught at University, trained technical personnel in the banking industry and, most recently, used her expertise to help dozens of authors develop the social media platform needed to succeed in today’s fast evolving publishing world. She owns Bakerview Consulting and is the only reviewer on this blog.

Previous Post: « Together by Christmas by Nicola Cornick, Catherine George and Louise Allen
Next Post: Santa is coming on Friday! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Candace

    December 17, 2010 at 4:10 am

    Hi,

    I’m just hopping over from FF and wanted to say hello. You have a very interesting blog here. I love to read!

    Have a great weekend,
    Candace

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 4:18 am

      Hi Candace!
      Thanks for the visit! I’m heading your way now!

  2. Donna (BLHmistress)

    December 17, 2010 at 6:41 am

    HI hopping around, Hope you have a Wonderful Holiday and nice weekend.

    My Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 2:09 pm

      Hi Donna!
      Happy Holidays to you as well!

  3. Tina (Book Couture)

    December 17, 2010 at 8:40 am

    I love your answers! It was a hard decision for me too, but personally, I think that the story and plotline are equally as important as each other, so I agree. If I had to chose, I’d probably say plotline though. A good plot (synopsis) will make you pick up the book, but good characters are more common.

    Your blog is adorable, by the way, and I’m definitely following you for more reviews and awesome posts!

    Happy reading,
    Tina @ Book Couture

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 2:10 pm

      Hi Tina! Thanks for the visit, follow and compliments. I’m off to see what others have to say!

  4. shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

    December 17, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    Hi
    Just hopping by and following through. I’m technically supposed to be a SAHM but in reality not so much LOl

    Shelleyrae
    http://www.bookdout.wordpress.com

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 2:47 pm

      Hi Shelleyrae,
      It’s tough to find the time to work! Always getting interrupted! Thanks goodness for laptops!

  5. Annette

    December 17, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    Enjoyed reading through your blog! Thanks for stopping by mine from the FF40 blog hop!

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 6:12 pm

      Hi Annette! Thanks for the visit and the compliment!

  6. Laura Harrison

    December 17, 2010 at 4:56 pm

    Hi, Sorry I can’t stay long. I’m on a 40+ years and older hop. (copy/paste day for me today) Trying to say howdy to everyone I can before my Dr. appointment. Hop back. Hook up your Hop. Enter my Giveaway. Need some people to enter. I’d enter myself but that would be weird. LOL Check out HWLWG. I’ll stop again when I have more time.
    Laurie at Grandma Sez So
    http://grandma-sez-so.blogspot.com/2010/12/are-you-over-40-do-you-blog-come-on.html

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 6:17 pm

      Hi Laura! I love visiting your blog! Your sense of humor matches mine! Drop by any time and say hi!

  7. Jenni Elyse

    December 17, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    I had such a hard time with today’s question. I don’t think you can have one without the other. But, the characters are what usually keep me reading and why I invest my time in the book.

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 6:17 pm

      Hi Jenni,
      I also had trouble answering that question, but ended up siding with the characters….have a great weekend.

  8. Melissa Cleaver

    December 17, 2010 at 5:57 pm

    Thanks so much for the follow! I’m following you now too…have a very merry holiday!

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 10:05 pm

      Hi Melissa,
      Thanks so much for the visit and the follow! I hope you and your family have a great Christmas!

  9. Traci66

    December 17, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    Thank you for following me. I am glad to follow you too. Happy Holidays.

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 10:06 pm

      Hi Traci!
      Thanks for the visit and the follow!

  10. Stephanie N

    December 17, 2010 at 9:22 pm

    Hi,
    I’m visiting from the Blog Hop and am a new follower. I’m definitely a character person, so if I don’t connect, the plot will mean little to me.

    Have a nice weekend!

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 10:07 pm

      Hi Stephanie! Thanks for the visit! I’m the same, I have trouble seeing by bad characters to the plot!

  11. Naila Moon

    December 17, 2010 at 10:22 pm

    Thanks for coming by my blog and following.
    It is really good to meet you.
    Peace…Naila Moon

    http://writing-out-of-the-blue.blogspot.com/2010/12/young-childs-question.html#comments

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 10:33 pm

      Hi There!
      Thanks for the visit!

  12. Howard Sherman

    December 17, 2010 at 10:37 pm

    This might be the best Book Blogger Hop question I’ve seen to date.

    So what’s the answer? Plot! Hop over to my blog and let me tell you how a good plot rescued bad characters from bad book oblivion.

    Howard Sherman
    http://www.howardsherman.net

    • Barb

      December 17, 2010 at 11:09 pm

      Hi Howard!
      thanks for the visit! I’m on my way over!

  13. Susan (Reading World)

    December 18, 2010 at 12:57 am

    Thanks for coming to my blog. You’ve got a great site here. And running an online bookstore sounds like a fun match for a booklover! I’ve read a bunch of Eloisa James and Jo Beverly, so it’s fun to see them pop up here and remember them.

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 2:59 am

      Hi Susan!
      Eloisa James and Jo Beverley are among my favorite authors – it’s nice to wander through the blogs and find new to me authors, though. Expands my horizons!

  14. Karen

    December 18, 2010 at 1:16 am

    Hopping back! I agree with your answer. I can make it through a bad plot if there is a character I like but not the other way around. Although I do care about both.

  15. Pussreboots

    December 18, 2010 at 2:06 am

    I prefer characters over plot. But both are important. Happy Blog Hop.

  16. Danielle

    December 18, 2010 at 2:17 am

    Happy Friday!

    Hope you have a great weekend!!
    Romance Book Junkies

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 3:21 am

      Hi Danielle! Nice to see you as always. I’m heading your way shortly!

  17. Mel u

    December 18, 2010 at 3:51 am

    Great answer-I think I feel the same-I would lose interest in a well plotted story if the lead characters were weakly done -thanks for the blog hop visit and I am also a follower of your blog

  18. Suko

    December 18, 2010 at 3:53 am

    Hi, I am here from Mel’s blog. What an interesting way to do memes together in one post! You have a really nice blog. 🙂

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 4:36 am

      Hi Suko!
      Thanks for the visit and the compliment.

  19. ashley

    December 18, 2010 at 4:08 am

    Hey coming over from the follow.
    I had a bit of a hard time deciding which too, but in the end i chose characters. I love good characters. 🙂

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 4:50 am

      Hi Ashley!
      Thanks for the visit and the follow. I’m with you on loving good characters!

  20. Audrey

    December 18, 2010 at 4:10 am

    nice answer, i chose characters too 🙂 im visiting from the hop and i’m your newest follower! have a wonderful weekend, i hope you can drop by my blog sometime 🙂

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 4:55 am

      Hi Audrey,
      I’m your newest follower! Thanks for the visit and the follow!

  21. Amy T

    December 18, 2010 at 5:22 am

    Hi Barb, just following back from the Wednesday hop! Thanks so much for visiting my blog and following. Have a great night.

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 2:15 pm

      Hi Amy! Thanks for the visit and the follow! Hope you have a great weekend!

  22. Su-sieee! Mac

    December 18, 2010 at 10:27 am

    Hi, Sugarbeat’s! Thanks for dropping by my blog earlier. I’m glad you did. I can see many interesting things to explore on your blog. The first two memes you’re participating in sound like a lot of fun. Merry Christmas!

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 2:16 pm

      Hi There!
      They are that! Join in next week! (or maybe after Christmas 🙂 )

  23. Melissa

    December 18, 2010 at 12:05 pm

    Thanks for stopping by my site, Barb. I’m following you on Twitter now too.

    For me, it doesn’t matter so much if the characters do stupid things because we all make mistakes. It’s more when their actions or the way they say things aren’t believable that I have an issue with it (either because it doesn’t follow from their previous behavior or it’s just poorly written).

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 2:17 pm

      Hi Melissa!
      Very true! Thanks for following me on Twitter!

  24. Pen

    December 18, 2010 at 5:32 pm

    Thanks for hopping by! Have a great weekend!

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 6:25 pm

      Hi Pen!
      Thanks for the visit! I hope you have a great weekend.

  25. Stephanie

    December 18, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    Hi Barb, thanks for stopping by my blog and the follow. The follow has been returned! 🙂

    Characters are what really makes a story come alive for me, so I’m with you on the character vs. plot question.

    Happy Holidays to you and yours!

    • Barb

      December 18, 2010 at 11:15 pm

      Hi Stephanie! Thanks for the visit and the follow. Happy holidays to your family as well.

  26. Elizabeth

    December 18, 2010 at 11:51 pm

    Hopping by from the blog hop.

    Lots of good answers to this week’s tough question.

    Stop by my blog to see my answer to this week’s question.

    Also check out a design site I found…pretty neat home decorating ideas…it is in the right side panel on my blog.

    http://silversolara.blogspot.com

    Happy Holidays!!

  27. Tiger Holland

    December 19, 2010 at 1:03 am

    Hopping by to return the visit and follow! Glad you’re sharing the character-love. If I think the characters are dull, I’m unlikely to enjoy even the coolest plots. 🙂

    • Barb

      December 19, 2010 at 1:36 am

      Hi Tiger!
      I’m with you on that! Thanks for the visit!

  28. Ellen Marie "Mama" Pike

    December 19, 2010 at 2:13 am

    Thanks for visiting my blog through Friday Blog Hop.

    It looks like you love books! 🙂

    Have a very Merry Christmas.

    http://www.mamapikeshappyhome.blogspot.com/

    • Barb

      December 19, 2010 at 3:37 am

      Hi Ellen Marie!
      Thanks for the visit! Hope you have a great Christmas 🙂

  29. Uniquely Moi Books

    December 19, 2010 at 4:36 am

    Thanks for stopping by! Have a great week!

    • Barb

      December 19, 2010 at 5:28 am

      No Problem – I always enjoy my visits to your blog! Hope you and yours have a great holiday!

  30. bravechickens

    December 20, 2010 at 12:32 am

    Hi Barb, I’m glad you like my blog. I only review YA (for now) so you’ll easily find something for a YA audience 🙂
    btw, as for your domain name, it’s even better when you have sugar and books. I love eating cookies and reading (but I do get crumbs all over me sometimes, hahaha) 😀

    • Barb

      December 20, 2010 at 1:00 am

      Thanks for the visit! I’m really looking forward to some new ideas for the new year. I’ll be popping by your blog regularly for some suggestions to get the kids reading 🙂 Speaking of cookies….at this time of year….hot cup of coffee…..christmas cookies…..a good book….what could be better?? Hope you and yours have a great Christmas!

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